Fucked Up

Island Stage, Guelph ON, July 28

By the time Fucked Up had run through set opener "Queen of Hearts," Damian Abraham's shirt was nowhere to be seen and a handful of kids were flying across the top of the mosh pit. Things didn't slow down when he sent out "David Comes to Life" to upcoming performers and "fucking legends" Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet. Despite the Sunday evening fatigue that most festivalgoers were probably experiencing, fans persevered throughout the set; there was never a moment when someone (or at least the various limbs or dreadlocks of someone) couldn't be seen either gliding atop the pit, getting sucked back to the ground or re-emerging for another ride.

Abraham, ever the showman, was equally rowdy, but also paused a few times to share some choice anecdotes about barfing up hamburgers or getting ditched by Riff Raff in favour of Justin Bieber. A veteran performer at the festival, he had kind words to say about Hillside, noting how awesome it was that his toddler had been able to join a parade earlier in the afternoon — but warning that "If you see your kid in a parade at Glastonbury, call the police."

The band tossed around a couple of new songs, including one that was dedicated to the bandmates' kids and one for which the audience was instructed to yell along: "It's the privilege of mass delusion." The set was rounded out with "I Hate Summer," "Son the Father" and ender "The Other Shoe," for which Abraham's tiny child made a guest appearance on stage. It was a short, but phenomenal set by a band that genuinely evokes the good vibes and camaraderie of a festival like Hillside — Abraham stuck around on stage for a few minutes after, ensuring articles of clothing in the mosh were returned to their rightful owners — but puts on a more exciting show than most acts on the line-up.